Extension-ladder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. G. L. WRIGHT.

EXTENSION LADDER. No. 408,281. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

G. L. WRIGHT.

EXTENSION LADDER.

No. 408,281. Patented Aug. '6%. 1889.

N4 PETERS, Fhuko-Lilhogmphur, Washnglnn. D. C4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. WRIGHT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

EXTENSION-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,281, dated August6, 18819.

Application tiled February 8 1889. Serial No. 299,149. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. VRIGI-l'nof Kansas City, Jackson county,Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inExtension-Ladders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

My invention relates particularly to that class of extension-ladders inwhich each upper section slides within the next lower one, and has. forits object to provide a ladder which will occupy very little space whenfolded, but can be easily and quickly extended to the desired extent;and with these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelconstructions and combinations, as will be more fully specified and thenclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section taken on the linexofFig.2. Fig. 2 is a front view of the ladder extended. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the bottom section; Fig. 4, the middle section; Fig.5, the top section; and Fig. 6 shows details in perspective.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures, B indicates the lowersection of my improved ladder, which is constructed with side pieces oruprights,

rounds p, and supports B', hinged to the rear side of the uprights, allof which are of the usual and well-known type. The front top portions ofthe uprights are cut away, as

`shown, to receive the cross-pieces r, and at the rear ot said topportions are secured the brackets I), in which is journaled thehorizontal shaft a, which carries at either end the flangedguide-rollers I I, and to the inner sides 0f the uprights are securedthe vertical tracks E, upon which run the grooved rollers F F',journaled in recesses cut in the lower ends-oi:` the mwiddle section C.The middle section O, being made narrower than the bottom section, ispressed down in between the cross-piece fr and the horizontal shaft a,the rear sides of the uprights bearing against and being guided by theanged guide-rollers II, and the grooved rollers F F' run freely upon thevertical tracks E E. Thus it will be seen that a safe guide is formedfor the folding section, and one that greatly facilitates itsoperations.

The front top portions of the uprights of the middle section C are alsocut away to receive a similar cross-piece r', and its rear portion isalso provided with brackets b', supporting the horizontal shaft a',,which carries the anged guide-rollers I I at either end, all of saidparts being similar to those of the bottom section. The section C isalso supplied with the vertical tracks E' F on its inner side, uponwhich work the grooved rollers G G', journaled in recesses cut in thelower portions of the uprights of the top section D. The top section Dis narrower than the middle section C, and is constructed with theuprights connected by the rounds p, as usual, and at its front topportion is braced by a cross-piece r", secured similar to thecross-pieces r r'.

Near the bottom of the uprights are formed the recesses 4in which arejournaled the grooved rollers G G', and in a recess just above therollers G is iixed a pin k, the purpose of which will appear farther on.

From the above description it will be seen that I form an extensible andcollapsible ladder in which the smaller sections slide within thelarger, torlnin g a small and compact body, and to prevent the section Ofrom sliding down too far I form a lug Zintegral with the track E at thelower end, upon which the bottom of the upright strikes, limiting thedownward movement of the section O. The track E is provided with asimilar lug Z', which prevents the top section D from sliding too far.

The sections being connected substantially as shown and described, it isnecessary to provide a means for operating said parts, and this I do bymeans of a rope and windlass. The windlass K is secured to the outsideof one of the uprights by a suitable bracket or block o, as best shownin Fig. 3, and is operated by means of a crank K'.

The lower portions of the uprights of the bottom section are slotted toreceive a baseblock n', upon which is mounted vthe sheave fbetweenvertical arms, as shown, and the side of the upright carrying thewindlass is ICO recessed at a point opposite the sheave f, and withinsuch recess is fixed the sheave f', and near the top of the same uprightis cut another recess, intended to receive a sheave g, similar to f andf In the upright of section C, at a point above the roller F', is cut avertical slot hav ing the sheaves h and h' secured in its ends, and nearthe top of this upright is cut a recess adapted to receive the sheave i.

The sheaves f f' g h h' are for carrying and guiding the operating-ropeP, and it is donein the following manner: One end of the rope P issecured to the lower end of the top section by the pin k, and from thereit passes down under the sheaves f f thence to the windlass K, aroundwhich it is wound two or three times to prevent slipping. From here itpasses up over sheave g, under sheaves h and h', over sheave fi, andthen fastened again to the pin 7c, thus forming a continuous operatingrope or cable, and as the rope is wound several times around thewindlass the sections can be readily raised and lowered withoutoccasioning any slack whatever. To hold the sections in position whenextended, I employ the spring supporting-arms H H', said arms beingsecured, respectively, to the inner sides of the uprights of thesections B and C, projecting upwardly therefrom and adapted to springinto the recesses H" H" cut in the outer sides of the uprights of thesections C and D, respectively, and to throw such supporting -arms outof engagement with the recesses I use the cords O and C', connected,respectively, with the arms H and H' and passing` over the sheaves L andL', secured, respectively, in the upper parts of the sections B and C,as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The operation of my device is as follows: The ladder having been placedin the proper position, the crank is operated, revolving the windlass.This turns the rope P, and the section C, carrying the section D withit, is moved upward, the rollers F F' running upon the tracks E andguided between the cross-piece r and flanged rollers I I. As the sectionC moves upward, the spring supporting-arms I-I are pressed in, and whensaid section is raised a sufficient distance to bring the recess H"Opposite the arm H said arm will spring outward into said recess andsupport the section in its extended position. The revolving of thewindlass is continued, drawing out the top section D, which is guided ina manner similar to section C and is supported bythe spring-arm H'.VV'hen it is desired to fold the sections, the cord cis pulled, whichdraws the arm H from the recess H", and by turning the crank in theopposite direction the section C is guided down into the section B, andits downward movement is limited by the lug Z. The cord c' is thenpulled, which releases the arm H', and the top section is guided intothe section C in the same manner as said section was guided into thebottom one. It it is desired to raise only the top section, the hook m'on the lower section is placed in the eye m on the middle section,securely holding the same down.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an extension-ladder, the combination, with a lower sectioncarrying a track upon its inner sides, the cross-piece r, and flangedrollers I at its top portion, of a narrower upper section sliding withinthe lower section and provided with rollers adapted to run on the track,substantially as shown and described.

2. In an extension-ladder, the combination,

4with the sections constructed as shown, of the sheaves ff' g 7L h' c',the rope P, and windlass K, all arranged and adapted to operatesubstantially as shown and described.

3. An extension-ladder consisting of two or more folding sections, thelower sections'provided with tracks E E' and guides r r' I I', thesupporting-arms I-I H', the upper sections being provided with rollers FF' G G', adapted to run upon the tracks E E', and recesses H" H"', toreceive the supporting-arms H H', the sheaves f f' h h' i, arranged asshown, the windlass K, rope P, and cords c and c', all arranged andadapted 13o-operate substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

F. G. FISCHER, A. A. HIGDON.

